Word of Meller Marketing

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27825612827809945642012-01-07T11:58:30.073-05:00Word of Meller Marketingpsst...Good ideas should be passed along. And sometimes random thoughts need a place to go!Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.comBlogger371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-8180379544040670792011-11-22T21:55:00.000-05:002011-11-22T21:55:11.393-05:00Thoughts on Google+

"That's me." ~Brenda Meller A friend asked me this question today, and I'd like to share my response on this blog. It deals with Google+, which still seems to be a confusing site that continues to get some attention. Q: Tell me what you think of Google+ when you get a chance. I just started with it. A: As far as Google+ goes, I'm undecided. I think it's a tool launched by Google that is

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-66826790640843784792011-10-05T22:47:00.000-04:002011-10-05T22:47:14.689-04:00I Love My Job and You Should, Too

I know there are probably some people who will read this blog and think I'm crazy. I love my job. I'm proud to write that. Yes, I truly love it. And I think you should, too. Find a Job You Love. I remember in college a professor told me that it's typical to have three careers after college. The first job you get is to have a job. The second job is to get out of your first job. And your third

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-90920253494543578452011-09-08T21:31:00.002-04:002011-09-20T22:39:25.424-04:009 Tips to Be a Superstar Speaker

Presenting to a group -- large or small -- can cause even the best of us to doubt our abilities and expertise. However, follow these simple tips and you'll be a more engaging, dynamic -- and perhaps even charismatic speaker. "Yes, you can have FUN and be professional," says Brenda Meller. Don't apologize to your audience. We don't know that you had to condense your usual 60-minute presentation

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-76982390295985391282011-09-05T08:57:00.000-04:002011-09-05T08:57:20.989-04:00I love free stuff

Every year, I remind myself I'm going to get better at this. I think it starts with a reminder from a friend to get my free coffee from Starbucks. And then a conversation with my husband about where we're going for dinner, and which restaurant offered me a FREE meal. "I love free finding free stuff for my birthday," Brenda Meller And then suddenly my big day has come and gone, and I'm lucky

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-18193733432191118962011-03-02T22:06:00.007-05:002011-03-21T20:03:41.631-04:00Speakers Wanted

I've been contacted several times recently about organizations seeking volunteer speakers. If interested, please contact me at mellerbrenda@ hotmail.com Name of Organization: St. Irenaeus Career MinistryLocation: Rochester, Michigan1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 10 AM2nd Tuesday is at 7PM Normally 20-30 attendees and they are all in-transition Hello Brenda,You offered to recommend speakers for future

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-5172416967184665082011-02-24T21:16:00.000-05:002011-02-24T21:16:18.426-05:00YES! You can buy my vote, Randazzo's

After coming home from Randazzo's where I picked up items to make dinner the other night, I found this enclosed in my bag: "Sweet!" ~Brenda Meller, Randazzo's shopper As a pretty regular Randazzo's shopper, I thought this was a great way to reward me with little effort on my part to redeem my coupon. As a marketer, I thought this technique was pure genius. Yes, they are in a way "buying"

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-29792138316764634222011-02-10T21:56:00.000-05:002011-02-10T21:56:39.927-05:00I'm positively crazy about you

Think about some of your favorite products, brands, and retailers. How do they make you feel? How would you feel if they no longer existed? A Love Story While visiting a few retailers over the past weekend, I noticed how differently each experience can be. And each visit led me to a decision about whether to visit there. Ever again. And blog about them (ah yes, the power of social media...).

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-76580066707383428512010-10-27T20:35:00.002-04:002010-10-27T20:41:23.541-04:00Yes, Women Buy Your Products. No, Laundry Soap Does Not Make Me Happy.

This blog post is a public service announcement from one woman with a voice (representing the millions of other women who feel the same way) directed to the countless number of companies out there who: Have identified that a target market of women 25-54 Think that women find great joy and contentment in: clean floors, clean laundry, a clean toilet, minivans, 100% fruit juice for our children,

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-53111917713726502772010-07-28T20:58:00.000-04:002010-07-28T20:58:12.193-04:00Staying Current with Trends is NOT a Fad

Nowadays it seems everyone has an e-newsletter, a Facebook page, a Twitter page, a YouTube channel, etc. etc. As an inquisitive marketer I'm always hungry for information and I admit I have a "To Be Read" folder in my Outlook that is never read (it's impossible to find that spare 1/2 hour a day). And once or twice a year, that folder is emptied without a second thought. "An entertaining

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-58362312259342620802010-07-21T22:06:00.001-04:002010-07-21T22:20:50.106-04:00The Power of Volunteering

I attended a great networking session at Lighthouse of Oakland County today. They started a new program offering job seekers a free monthly breakfast plus workshops led by individuals in the community. Beth Grossman, an Executive Search Director from Angott Search Group, spoke about a variety of candidates she has worked with who have use their career transition time to volunteer at a charity or

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-56777643283716048302010-05-12T13:27:00.000-04:002010-05-12T13:27:16.519-04:00Need Help? Hire an Intern (You'll thank me later...)

The economy has forced us all to tighten our belts, possibly reduce our staff, and for some folks, find a new career altogether. Some of the jobs that were eliminated aren't coming back - requiring refocus. What this means for all of us is that we need to work more efficiently with reduced resources. I always joke that if you feel that you are overwhelmed at work, then you are working at

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-58508759452325092472010-05-04T22:47:00.000-04:002010-05-04T22:47:20.868-04:00Powerful Women -- quick... who comes to mind?

Without thinking about it too much, who comes to mind when you think of Powerful Women? I'll give you a minute. Okay, done? So, who came to mind for you? At the top of my list were Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Oprah, Suze Orman, Ellen Degeneres, and maybe a musician or two (Lady Gaga, Madonna, Britney Spears). I'll admit Sarah Palin was an afterthought for me. And she always reminds me of

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-17816787042704116542010-04-22T20:36:00.003-04:002010-04-22T21:01:32.615-04:00Blog? Why Bother?

Blogging can be a chore for some, and a dream for others. I fall into the latter category. I've always enjoyed journaling and/or writing in a diary. I've written books cataloging my teenage and college years and look back on the entries fondly. My audience for these books was me only -- although I think you always secretly wonder when you're writing a diary if someone else might someday stumble

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-75667084397985716232010-03-31T21:52:00.002-04:002010-03-31T21:56:54.585-04:00WANTED: women's retailer -- professional attire

I need a women's retailer who sells professional attire to join us for a Professional Image event at Walsh College in Troy, Michigan on Thurs, April 29 from 6-8:30p. We need a retailer who can provide their own models and maybe 4-5 outfits, including professional (interview) suits as well as professional work attire (including casual fridays) for a fashion show. We would prefer they bring

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-28438792675802460352010-03-28T11:05:00.006-04:002010-03-28T11:45:00.842-04:00Changing careers? First career? Get Thee to an Informational Interview

The current economy has placed many workers-in-transition in the position to evaluate their careers, something they never expected. We have all grown accustomed to the fact that if you do your job, show up on time, and do what is expected (and maybe even do MORE than what is expected), that we'll be gainfully employed until we retire.So many people have had this dream shattered over the past two

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-63316763776334927342010-03-23T20:55:00.002-04:002010-03-23T21:02:33.334-04:00LinkedIn tip-of-the-week: ANSWERS (wanna be an expert?)

Quick tip-of-the-week on LinkedIn: ANSWERS section -- earning "Expert" ratingsLinkedIn has a great site feature where you can post questions or answer questions. If you're familiar with this area of the site, you know that some connections have been rated as an "EXPERT" for questions that they have answered. We all have egos - and we'd all like to be ranked as an expert, right? Plus, it provides

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-22795339073488027422010-03-19T22:25:00.003-04:002010-03-19T23:37:29.502-04:00LinkedIn Etiquette: Beyond "please" and "thank you"

If you're reading this post -- my guess is that you're not quite sure of etiquette on LinkedIn. Or, maybe you think you know it all and want some reassurance. Regardless, here are a few social media etiquette tips that I've learned over the past few years of using LinkedIn.1. Personalize EVERY invitation to connect.If you use the standard "I'd like you ask you to join my professional network on

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-54855728483087393612010-03-02T21:30:00.002-05:002010-03-02T22:04:49.032-05:00If you know Conan O'Brien, tell him Warren Toastmasters needs a speaker

At the Warren Toastmasters club meeting tonight, I presented a speech on our club's upcoming Open House event, which we are scheduling for Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.The objective of an open house is to generate awareness about Toastmasters in our community and to hopefully sign up some new members. We're a small club and looking to grow and could use some new members to help us along

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-81739913493935766002010-02-06T15:22:00.005-05:002010-02-06T16:13:27.951-05:00This Toastmaster's Quest: IgniteDetroit

I heard from a friend, Brandon Chesnutt on www.facebook.com about an upcoming event called Ignite Detroit. When I initially read the description, I thought it sounded like an interesting concept but not for me. Then I YouTubed (is that a word or am I inventing as I go?) the event and watched a few videos from another Ignite event. And I thought, "hey, I could do that!"The concept of Ignite

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-35679386197784252602010-02-03T19:19:00.004-05:002010-03-10T21:49:40.571-05:00How's Your Social Media Karma?

The more I use Social Media, the more I find myself to be a conduit of sorts to my network. I'm able to successfully link one connection to another via a virtual rolodex that didn't exist for me years ago. I've only been active on LinkedIn for a few years, and on Facebook and Twitter for just over a year.I believe in karma, especially in Social Media. The more I help my network, the more my

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-84327493130131141792010-01-17T11:06:00.002-05:002010-01-17T11:50:48.636-05:00My secret: how I learn new marketing techniques

I attended a Toastmasters* Leadership Institute event yesterday in Dearborn, Michigan. The purpose of this event is to bring together all the Toastmaster members in our District (which covers metro Detroit, Windsor, and Toledo) and train the club officers as well as to keep us all updated on upcoming district events. There are also a free breakout session on various leadership and communication

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-33601303286553490732009-12-29T18:49:00.006-05:002009-12-29T19:45:28.748-05:00A Big OOPS and Apology

Direct mail can be a powerful marketing tool, depending on your objectives. In a former career I remember reading that direct mail is 40-40-20: 40% creative (design); 40% list; and 20% message (offer). I could be wrong on the percentages but you get the idea. And speaking of, did you know that 67.3% of percentages* are made up?But I digress.So direct mail. Necessary? Maybe. Opened and read?

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-32847837481650402132009-11-19T22:11:00.008-05:002009-11-19T23:14:32.703-05:00Top 10 Tips to Supercharge YOU on LinkedIn

One of the best things about using LinkedIn is the power to share information and insights throughout your network, but you can only do this effectively if you are using LinkedIn effectively. To that end, here are my top 10 suggestions to help supercharge YOU and your efforts on LinkedIn.Please share this with a worker-in-transition (you could help someone), a hiring manager (they could help the

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-45837074760208588722009-10-27T19:58:00.005-04:002009-10-31T09:37:43.260-04:00The Art of ACTIVE Job Seeking

During a Take Charge workshop at Walsh College today, I talked to the Social Media for Job Seekers class about the concept of "active" job seeking. The example I like to use is to ask the class to put their hands on front of the desk in front of them. This can be compared to the traditional job seeker. In comparison, I ask them to place their hands in an "active hands" position (which I borrowed

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-2129506531572070642009-10-05T20:25:00.002-04:002009-10-05T20:47:56.645-04:00Your Advertising is Annoying

Is it just me, or does anyone else out there get really annoyed by the stereotypes of women in commercials? If I see one more swiffer commercial where the sad mop is playing cheesy 80's love songs while the woman-of-the-house is cheerfully swiffering away, I may have to turn off the TV for good.I remember in one of my first marketing courses in college, our professor stated at the beginning of

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-88616030533152372412009-07-10T22:44:00.004-04:002009-07-10T23:14:55.421-04:00Secret for Workers-in-Transition (psst... Toastmasters)

I was talking to Marie Jakubiak http://www.linkedin.com/in/mjakubiak today about a Toastmasters club we are forming at the Walsh College Novi campus, as well as the club at the Troy Campus (Park Street Presenters).We were discussing how both clubs have been extremely successful at increasing members in recent months, and how many of the new members are workers in transition. When I'm talking to

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-62605324665249769992009-06-09T21:52:00.005-04:002009-06-09T22:42:01.464-04:00Confessions from a Fellow Working Mom

I have a confession... I watch the show John and Kate plus 8. I have been watching the show since the kids were babies and my son is close to their age so in a way I'm watching our kids grow together. I still watch the show now and secretly hope they can work things out. Not for the kids (well, maybe for the kids, too) but also for the two of them.When I first started watching the show, I was

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-43237413858623391642009-06-03T22:09:00.003-04:002009-06-03T22:30:51.545-04:00More Free Workshops for Michigan's Unemployed or "In Transition" workers

If you're looking for work, you may want to check out the new free Take Charge workshops at Walsh College: http://www.walshcollege.edu/My recommendation is to attend the first kickoff session, to network with other job seekers. Here's more info:Kickoff Event and Networking: Creating Success in Today’s Job SearchWalsh College President and CEO Stephanie Bergeron and Ford Motor Company Fund

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-84582351060730080212009-04-30T14:08:00.004-04:002009-06-03T22:32:51.853-04:00The Power of Connections

Yesterday, I spoke about using LinkedIn as a job search and networking tool at a workshop at Walsh College.The auditorium was packed - normally a good thing, right? Except when you consider that everyone in the room is a worker-in-transition.But, I felt good about the session. And I felt very proud of the people in the room. The attendees were, in fact, taking charge of their futures by getting

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-26927889162521408082009-04-17T22:26:00.007-04:002009-04-17T23:18:25.665-04:00Why I Love Toastmasters

Several years ago during an annual performance review, I asked my manager how I could improve on public speaking. I knew that working in marketing, I would someday need to be comfortable speaking in front of groups in order to move up in the organization. He suggested Toastmasters and told me a bit about the group. At the time, the thought of speaking up in front of a room freaked me out. And

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-24819750619216183472009-04-01T22:20:00.003-04:002009-04-01T22:25:59.170-04:00That's what the boats are for...

There are a LOT of good people out there looking for work in Michigan and I've been blessed to meet many of them. I've seen every level of motivation, from those who are frozen into doing little for their own job search and waiting for an email or a phone call offer, to those who are out there every week - networking, taking advantage of all available opportunities, offering help before asking

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-18109668959267718702009-03-31T23:36:00.002-04:002009-03-31T23:45:43.042-04:00Some favorite links

Warren Toastmasters Club: http://warren.freetoasthost.ws/Toastmasters International: www.toastmasters.org

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-47531830565450796762009-03-31T23:02:00.001-04:002009-06-03T22:38:46.469-04:00Thursday. Networking. And a Few Plugs...

At this past Thursday’s Take Charge: Job Search Strategies, I spoke about using LinkedIn.com as a job search and networking tool. At the end of the 30 minute presentation, I took questions out in the hallway from many enthusiastic job seekers.I met Michael Winokur (visit him here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwinokur; Michael is looking for a position in Property Management) who connected to

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-753512004607056182009-03-23T13:30:00.001-04:002009-06-03T22:34:17.935-04:00Sites and Services for your job search

Great article for those in transition - helpful job search sites:We found a battery of new sites and services--such as LinkedIn JobsInsider, Recessionwire, and Uberi.com--dedicated to providing the kind of cost-cutting, job-search, and moral-support tools that can be invaluable during lean times.The complete story can be found here:http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,160925/article.html

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-61578616672583571442008-01-28T21:34:00.001-05:002009-04-06T22:20:14.035-04:00Oh, The Places You'll Go

Lately I feel like I've reached the point in my career where I can begin to offer advice to those who are just getting started.I met with a young man last week to discuss his interest in marketing, and offer a critique of his resume. He seemed to be very uncertain about the experience that he already had (2 years, if you added up his 1 year of internships plus 1-year of work experience). Plus he

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-55225450677001084482008-01-17T20:43:00.003-05:002009-04-17T23:17:21.073-04:00Having A Voice

I was discussing with one of my colleagues yesterday why some people complain about politics, but they don't vote. We both agreed that if you don't vote, your opinion doesn't count. If you're mad about something, do something about it. If you support something and can make a change, you owe it to yourself to try to change it.I'm going up to CMU (Central Michigan University) tomorrow for an alumni

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2782561282780994564.post-21094670677415126962008-01-12T08:59:00.001-05:002009-04-06T22:06:21.580-04:00Random Thoughts...

Over the past year, I've been thinking about why we don't see a lot more women in management positions. Is there really a glass ceiling? Or, are we holding ourselves back?Based on what I'm seeing, I think we're more to blame. That's not to say that society doesn't play a part. I see stereotypes played out every day, but when we push back against those stereotypes, we can make things change.I'm

Brenda Mellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02818218057459658182noreply@blogger.com0